Many different arrangements have been provided for attachment of accessories to an ATV type vehicle since such vehicles provide a convenient power plant for moving various accessories and avoid the necessity for a dedicated machine for each accessory. In recent years ATV type vehicles have achieved considerable market penetration and have dramatically improved in construction and features.
A number of examples of such mounting arrangements are shown in the following U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,577,330 of the present inventor issued May 6, 2003 discloses a mower located underneath the vehicle which is supported at the rear end on the hitch at which there is provided an engine for driving the mower and carried at the forward end underneath the vehicle on wheels and is prevented from side to side movement by chains attached to the vehicle frame at a suitable location above the mower. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference for any additional details of a machine of this type which may be omitted herein.
PCT published Application WO 02/26023 (De Thomasis) published Apr. 4, 2002 discloses a similar and related arrangement of a mower located underneath the vehicle with an engine for driving the mower at the rear and carried at the forward end underneath the vehicle on wheels and is prevented from side to side movement by straps attached to the vehicle frame at a suitable location above the mower. In this arrangement the rear end is not supported by the hitch but is instead carried on wheels. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference for any additional details of a machine of this type which may be omitted herein.
The present inventor in a U.S. application filed Oct. 21, 2004, Ser. No. 10/969,237 which corresponds to a Canadian application, filed Oct. 20, 2004, Serial No: 2,485,392, discloses a mounting for an accessory to be carried in front of the ATV such as a blade or snow blower where a hitch is connected at the rear to the hitch of the vehicle and a frame extends forwardly underneath the vehicle which is then clamped up underneath the vehicle to provide a stable mount for the accessory.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,294 issued Nov. 23, 1999, the present inventor discloses a trailer which is trailed behind and ATV and can be configured to carry different implements such as a cultivator, blade or disker. As the trailer is merely trailed behind from the hitch of the ATV, there is no ability for the trailer to be lifted to a transport position and no ability for weight to be transferred to the accessory from the ATV to increase penetration into the ground. Also the accessory is less stable and less effectively controlled as it is merely trailed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,275 (Cross) assigned to Cycle Country Accessories Corp and issued May 5, 1998 is disclosed a three-point hitch construction which attaches the accessory or implement more effectively to the rear of the ATV using arms which allow it to be supported at a required height and to be adjusted to raise and lower the implement. Further system described may allow floating movement and may allow transfer of weight from the ATV to the implement. A key point mentioned is that the system allows the rear suspension of the ATV to be locked out at a fixed height to maintain the implement at the fixed height.
In a brochure describing a three-point hitch Kolpin shows a device which attaches simply to the regular hitch coupling of an ATV and provides a pair of arms and a center link similar in construction and operation to a conventional three point hitch of the type carried on a tractor.